Blocking hats



WILLIAM WRIGHT, OF PHILADLPH-I-A, PENNSYLVANIA. i

BLOCKING HATS.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 5,849, dated October1 10,k 184:8.v

To all wiz-om t may concern.' f

Be itknown that I, WILLIAM WRIGHT, of

the city of Philadelphia and State of Penn-y sylvania, hat-block maker, have invented a new and useful improvement or machine for` altering the shape of hats, so as to make them more or less oval, according to they head of the wearer, called Wrights springband block; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full and exact description of the same. 1

The nature of my linvention consists in connecting with what is known among hatters and hat-block makers by the name of a hat-screw, or set, an elastic hoop yor band of a circular or oval form, which hoop or band encircles the hat screw or set, and is fastened to the two ends of it so as to construct an entire machine by which the shape of hats may be more easily and perfectly changed than by the use of the ordinary hat screw.7

In order to construct the hoop or band I obtain or make a long plate of iron, steel, or other elastic substance, which may be of the thickness of ordinary sheet iron, or more, or less, and of twenty inches in length, or more, or less, according to the size of the hats to which it is to be applied, and of one to two inches in width, or more, or less. It may be of equal widththroughout, but it is better, for the present style of hats, to make it vary in width, so as to correspond at its upper edge with the concave shape of the rim of the hat, or part where the band is applied.A

And also to have the upper edge of the plate drawn out somewhat longer than the lower edge, so that when bent into a hoop, the diameter of the upper edge of the hoop will be somewhat greater than that of the lower edge.

Figure l of the annexed drawings represents a plate, prepared in order to form a band or hoop; the holes seen in the figure,

being for screws, rivets or nails, to fasten the band to the hat screw or set. This plate is to be bent into a circular or oval form, so that the two ends will meet and thus form a hoop to surround the hat screw or set.

Fig. 2 represents a hoop or band after it is bent; the wider parts A, A, A in Fig. l, and A, A, in Fig. 2 being those which are to be attached to the ends of the set and to lit to the front and back of parts of the hat; while the narrower parts B, B, Fig. l, and

being intended to be placed within 4the crown of the hat, under the band, and within the rim,when the machine is used. The. hoop should be soldered, welded or other-A 'wise fastened when the endsmeet. f

v Fig. 3 representsa .topfview of the hat screw or set which is usually constructed of 3 pieces of wood, viz: two end pieces C, C, of a semi oval form; and one center piece, or handle, D. The end pieces maybe from one to two inches Vin thickness, or more or less, and sloped or beveled a little, to correspond with the shape of the hoop already described. The hoop is to be fastened to the set, by placing the screws or rivets, &c., at the two extremities of the set,7 so as to bring the widest parts of the hoop to those parts of the set. The mode of making the set is known to hat-ters and hat block B Fig. 2', 1a tofhesides of the haatte hoop ff makers, and may be judged of by others, y

from the drawing and foregoing description. It is to be observed, however, that on one 'orvboth ends of the handle D of the 5 set there must be a screw cut, and a corresponding nut, or female screw in the end piece or pieces, where the handle is to be inserted. If screws are cut on both ends of the handle D, the one must be a right, and the other a left screw. If a screw is cut on but one end, the other end must be so inserted that it will revolve in the' end piece,

but not move end wise or longitudinally in it. The most convenient method is sup-V posed to be that of a right screw on one end of the handle Dand a left screw on the other.

Fig. 4 represents the hoop or band in connection with the hat screw or set, to which it has been attached; or in other words is a top view of the entire combination which constitutes the machine ready for use. In this form it is vto be used by setting it within the crown or band of the hat, at

head then the handle is to be turned inthe other direction so as to bring the end pieces C and C nearer to each other, and consequently press the hoop outward at the sides, so as to render the shape of the crown more circular. Fig.' 3, shows the endpieces C, C, in the nearest position to each other, but in Fig. 4 they have been driven asunder, so that a portion 'of the screws or tenons, at the ends of the handle D, are seen, thus elongating the machine, and of course the hat in which it is supposed to be placed. lWhen the hat has thus been brought to the desired form, and the machine remains in it, the iron of the hatter is to be applied to the brim and a shape given to it corresponding With that of the crown, so as to cause the latter to remain permanent.

,of that machine to the purposes herein specified.

. WM. WRIGHT. Witnesses:

TYLER LIPPINGOTT, THos. C. WRIGHT. 

